All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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The Niwot Road Crew has been managing the road closures for Niwot’s many annual parades and events since 2012, spending untold hours guaranteeing the safety of both pedestrians and drivers. Many people don’t realize how much behind-the-scenes labor goes into the orchestration of a parade such as the one that passes through Niwot’s Second Avenue every year on the Fourth of July. Not only are volunteers needed to plan the event, create floats, set out announcements and monitor the event, but a len...
Haystack Mountain Golf Course recently marked 50 years in business on Niwot road, but this week also marked the passing of owner Lois Ebel. Mike Hammerstone, who has worked at the course for eight years, sent out this statement on Monday. “It is with the heaviest and saddest of hearts that I regret to inform you that Lois Ebel, owner of Haystack Mountain Golf Course, has passed away. She passed peacefully surrounded by family and loved ones. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.” The party earlier this mon...
Boulder County Parks and Open Space will have to say goodbye to a respected and admired employee come September. Ron Stewart, who is currently the director of Boulder County Parks and Open Space, has decided to retire in September after 17 years with the county. Stewart was born and raised in Longmont went to Longmont High School, and then to the University of Colorado-Boulder. As a political science major in college, Stewart became passionate about politics and went on to serve two terms in...
There is a fire ban in place for all of Boulder County. No open burning of any kind is allowed until the ban is rescinded. High fire danger will continue throughout the weekend. Mandatory evacuation notices have been given to more residents near the Cold Springs fire, near Nederland. Those within the mandatory evacuation zone must evacuate. According to the Boulder Office of Emergency Management, a pre-evacuation notice was recently sent to 174 new contacts. Anyone within the pre-evacuation...
The Village at the Peaks’ grand opening week, May 27 to June 4, was celebrated with a 20-ton National Parks-themed sand sculpture, concerts by local bands, an America Ninja Warrior-style course and a Patriotic Pet Parade. After nearly seven years of development, Village at the Peaks is now largely completed with 90 percent of the space leased and 25 retailers open for business. The celebrations aligned with the opening of Sam’s Club on June 30, one of the Village’s largest anticipated sourc...
Kris Budde launched her boutique-style fashion truck, Arrow Wood, this past March, and now caters to Niwot most Fridays from 4-7 p.m. outside of Niwot Market. Arrow Wood prides itself on making high-end fashion more convenient for women by bringing the store to them. “This way, you can actually see if what you’re buying works with your closet and [if] you’re going to be happy with it,” Budde said. Self-described as diverse and adaptable, Budde’s own fashion is reflected in the apparel sold at A...
On Thursday, June 30, the Colorado Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit that asked the courts to require Boulder County to pay for the repaving of roads in unincorporated neighborhoods. The lawsuit was submitted by a group of homeowners wanting the county to fund the repaving of their subdivision roadways, led by lead plaintiff Chuck Wibby of Gunbarrel. On April 2, 2015, a Boulder County District Court judge ruled that the homeowners suing the county did not have the necessary legal standing to more forward with their claim....
Classes may not be in session, but there is always plenty of activity over the summer on the Dawson School campus, from Dawson Summer Camps and the Dawson Summer Initiative, to the big Prep Lacrosse Showcase, and Boulder County's sheriffs using campus for training. Among all of those folks coming and going, you will find a dedicated core of volunteers who look after Dawson's two Learning Gardens and look in on the school's newest 'enrollees' : chickens. The four gorgeous hens (a Rhode Island...
The sun was out with temperatures near 90 degrees, and it was a wonderful setting for the annual 4th of July Parade in Niwot. In addition to the annual Pancake Breakfast, hosted by Bert Steele of Niwot Market and the Niwot Community Association (NCA), and all the wonderful decorations for the kids, bikes and dogs provided by the NCA, this year’s parade was bigger and better than ever. Pat Murphy, ever the volunteer pancake breakfast champ, said there was no final tally yet of the amount r...
Boulder County Commissioners approved the proposed marijuana establishment in Niwot on Thursday, June 30, after holding a public hearing on June 29 to hear from opponents and supporters. After hearing from Boulder County Land Use Department staff on the application, the commissioners heard from members of the public who voiced approval for the pot shop, and those who expressed concerns regarding traffic and parking, home property values, safety and more. “This is not a vote whether marijuana i...
Whether you see her welcoming guests at Rock & Rails, planting flowers along Second Avenue or volunteering at one of the various Niwot events she attends throughout the year, it’s likely Stacy Roybal will greet you with a smile and a friendly “hello.” Roybal is the Courier’s Left Hand Laurel for her years of service and kindness to Niwot. Despite living east of Longmont, miles away from Niwot, Roybal is nevertheless quick to help out when volunteers are called upon in the community. She is deepl...
The Fourth of July is a special time in Niwot because it not only celebrates America’s freedom, but does so with the only parade in Boulder County for the holiday. Julie Breyer, third-grade teacher at Niwot Elementary School, is part of the Niwot Community Association (NCA) and has been the chair of the parade for the past three years. This will be the NCA’s fourth year orchestrating the parade (that will take place on Monday, July 4), although the parade has been around for many years. Bre...
Every year for the July 4 parade, a Grand Marshal is chosen by the Niwot Community Association from nominations. This year’s Grand Marshal isn’t just one person but an entire family that epitomizes the community of Niwot. The Slepicka family moved to Niwot in 1990, where Jerry and Marsha Slepicka built their own log house. Along with their kids, Vanessa (23), Brandon (20) and Jessie (20), they’ve grown roots in the community and call Niwot home. Jerry and Marsha Slepicka were both born and r...
Boulder County Commissioners approved the proposed marijuana establishment in Niwot on Thursday, June 30, after holding a public hearing on June 29 to hear from opponents and supporters. Julie Baldwin, who has been a Niwot resident for over 20 years, said her main concerns are parking issues, home property values and the safety of the town. “Our community, Niwot, is a peaceful, safe place to live now,” Baldwin said. “That is rare and I want it to stay that way…" Jim Eastman, a Niwot resident who is heavily involved in the town, voiced his sup...
The unofficial results for the Boulder County 2016 Primary Election are in, after voting closed Tuesday, June 28. The following numbers are from Boulder County. Election Summary Total Ballots Counted: *Active Registered Democrats: 89,467; Democratic Ballots 25,324 *Active Registered Republicans: 35,606; Republican Ballots 11,242 Estimated Total Turnout: 38,475; Total Ballots Counted: 36,566 * Based off Voter Registration Figures as of June 28 - 8:16 p.m. United States Senator - Democratic Party Votes Percent Michael Bennet 23,405 100.00% Total...
A community thrives when its members are involved, passionate, ambitious and always looking to the future. In these respects, Riki Frea excels. Frea, a Niwot resident, mother and unwavering volunteer, is recognized with the Courier’s Lefthand Laurel for her commitment to the Niwot community and its youth. Despite juggling the busy schedule that comes along with being a mother of three, Frea still manages to donate much of her time to the community. She serves as an integral member of the Niwot Children’s Park building committee and vol...
It’s been almost three years since an eight-day “100-year storm” wrecked havoc in the valley that is home to Lyons, a town with a population of just over 2,000 people. The term “100-year storm” is an arbitrary figure, but most can imagine that it rained. And it rained a lot, for a long time. Left Hand Water District General Manager Christopher Smith said that the way the storm hovered over the area is mind-boggling. “The whole meteorological impact is pretty fascinating,” Smith said. “It sat...
Many people agree that there’s no better place to spend summer than in Colorado. During the summer, the trails and lakes are full of people spending their free time outdoors. Boulder County offers numerous activities from hiking the many trails at Chautauqua Park, cycling and running, to water sports on the Boulder Reservoir. There are activities to do for every age group and every skill level. Although it’s fairly easy to find a hike to do in Boulder, there are some unique ones that can som...
HMK Jewelers moves HMK and Mountain Maille Jewelry Studio to Franklin Street, across from Colterra restaurant, one year ago. The jewelry stores recently made another move to Cottonwood Square, relocating right next to the Garden Gate Cafe. Owners Dennis Perez, of HMK, and Judy Perez, of Mountain Maille Jewelry, are both happy with the new stores, which officially opened on June 1. “There are a lot of good things in Cottonwood Square,” Dennis Perez said. “The traffic is nicer and the space just...
A small plane crashed last Wednesday, June 15 in Creede, Colorado, killing the three people on board, including 17-year-old Niwot High School student David Louwers, of Longmont. The Cessna 320 plane, which was owned by Rocky Mountain Aerial Surveys of Longmont, went down Wednesday afternoon near the single-runway airport by the small mining town. According to the Associated Press, Mineral County coroner Charles Downing said a witness report stated the plane seemed to be having engine troubles...
There was be a candlelight vigil tonight at 8:30 p.m. on the football field at Niwot High School, to honor student and football player David Louwers. Louwers died in a plane crash in Southern Colorado on Wednesday, July 15. He was 17 years old and just completed his junior year at NHS. Please bring your own candle to the vigil and a picture of Louwers if you want....
The Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band has been given the honor of playing the National Anthem at the Colorado Rockies game on June 27, but their story neither starts nor ends there. The band formed in 2005 to dedicate the new community bandstand at Whistle Stop Park on the Fourth of July. “We had this project going then realized we didn’t have a band,” organizer Bruce Warren said. “The bandstand was a rough recreation of one that had existed in the early 1900’s when Niwot had a ban...
A small plane crashed last Wednesday, June 15 in Creede, Colorado, killing the three people on board, including 17-year-old Niwot High School student David Louwers, of Longmont. The Cessna 320 plane, which was owned by Rocky Mountain Aerial Surveys of Longmont, went down Wednesday afternoon near the single-runway airport by the small mining town. According to the Associated Press, Mineral County coroner Charles Downing said a witness report stated the plane seemed to be having engine troubles and appeared to try to land at the airport. The...
Though school is out for the summer, Longmont Library sees this as no cause for reading or learning to cease. Longmont Public Library continues to engage children and families throughout the summer vacation with its Summer Reading Program and many other educational activities. This summer, the library is providing a variety of events for children ranging from infants to high school seniors through reading programs, STEM activities, concerts and more. “The programs are designed around keeping k...
Spring and summer are months that most people look forward to, but they can also have some negative aspects. Skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, rabbits and rodents have babies; bats begin their spring migration; and mosquitoes establish their breeding sites in standing water. This burst of life not only brings about more critters, but critters that can carry diseases such as rabies, plague, tularemia, hantavirus and West Nile virus (WNV) that can be dangerous to humans and pets. “We’ve had another spring with plenty of rainfall and an inc...
Located in historic downtown Niwot, local and family-owned Treppeda’s Italian Ristorante, is celebrating 20 years in business. Owner, Howard Treppeda, who grew up in Hudson Valley, New York, didn’t come from a restaurant family, but knew he wanted to open his own business when he moved to Colorado. “Growing up the youngest out of all my cousins, everybody always talked about opening up an Italian restaurant,” Treppeda said. “Once I got to Colorado, I was hungry and figured I would open up [...
At Niwot’s Local Improvement District (LID) meeting on Tuesday, June 7, LID members heard from several different community members requesting funding from the organization. The first funding request came from the Colorado Jazz Group, headed by Howard Treppeda, who also owns Treppeda’s Italian Ristorante in Niwot. Treppeda requested $10,000 for the annual Jazz on 2nd Ave festival that takes place in Niwot later in the summer. While the event has traditionally been held in mid-August, Treppeda said the event will be later this year and will sta...
On Tuesday, June 28, the Republican and Democratic parties will hold their primary elections in Boulder County. In order for people to vote in a party primary election, they must be registered with that party. The last day for affiliated voters to change or withdraw their affiliation was May 31. Unaffiliated voters may choose a party up to and including election day. To receive a mail ballot in a timely fashion though, the Boulder County Clerk & Recorder’s office encourages people to affiliate sooner rather than later. Those who don’t aff...
The Longmont Museum is enjoying high attendance at its fourth-annual summer kids exhibit, “How People Make Things.” The traveling exhibit from the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh — running through Aug. 28 — uses hands-on, real-life demonstrations to teach young visitors the mechanics behind everyday objects, ranging from Crayola crayons to computer hard drives. The exhibit opened May 21 to an eager crowd of nearly 600 children, parents and other visitors. Before entering the museum, kids got...
Despite gray skies for much of the day, the Niwot Cleanup Day sponsored by the Niwot Community Association was a success again this year. NCA members taking advantage of the free service on May 14 filled eight dumpsters with trash and debris, four dumpsters with yard waste, one dumpster with recyclable scrap metal and three bins of electronics for recycling. In addition, the collection brought in three bins of latex paint to be properly disposed of, four bins of plastic bags, three sacks of Styrofoam, and one bin each of shoes and cloth. The “s...
On June’s first Friday of the month, Osmosis Gallery and the Niwot Cultural Arts Association hosted the winners of this year’s art show. Emceed by Biff Warren of NCAA, and Anne Postle and Michelle Henzel, also of NCAA and Osmosis Gallery, announced the winners of this fifth season. Twenty entries in all were submitted, with the only requirement being it needed to represent Niwot in some way. According to Osmosis Gallery owner Anne Postle, by the time Friday’s winner was revealed, 6 of the 20 ent...
This June, Abo’s Pizza is celebrating 20 years of selling New York-style pizza to the Niwot community. Located in Cottonwood Square, the restaurant is a longtime favorite for inexpensive quality pizza. The restaurant began when owner “Big” Tom Smathers branched off after working his way up the ladder at the original Abo’s Pizza in Boulder and opened Abo’s Pizza in Niwot in 1996. There are now 10 Abo’s Pizza restaurants along the Front Range, two of which Smathers owns. Big Tom, as he prefers to...
The prestigious P.E.O. STAR Scholarship, for the 2016-2017 academic year, was presented to Kelsey Dawson, a senior at Niwot High School. Dawson was recommended for this scholarship by Chapter JD of Broomfield, Colorado. She has been accepted and will attend Colorado State University beginning this fall. The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship is a $2,500 award based on excellence in leadership, extracurricular activities, community service, academics and potential for future success. The program is open to...
After over three years of planning, fundraising and constructing, the Niwot Children’s Park is finally nearing completion. Members of the building committee estimate that the park will be open by September 1, if not sooner. The park is located on the corner of Murray Street and First Avenue, across from Whistle Stop Park. The concept for the park was first formed by Jeff and Cynthia Lambert, who purchased the property at 101 First Avenue in Niwot before proposing the creation of a new c...
On May 28, the Niwot High School (NHS) class of 2016 received their diplomas, stepped off the stage and launched into their futures. For several of these high-achieving students, their high school experiences and achievements have opened the door to exceptional post-college opportunities. International Baccalaureate (IB) students Joanna Liu, Mohika Nagpal and Joshua McInerney received a perfect score of 36 on their ACT exams, gaining them entrance to three of the nation’s top universities, w...
Breweries, home brewers and craft brews have become immensely popular very quickly, especially in Colorado. Bootstrap Brewing joined the movement about four years ago when it opened in Niwot, in Cottonwood Square. Owners Steve and Leslie Kaczeus have strived to be Niwot’s neighborhood brewery and make the best beer they can. They recently won a bronze award at the World Beer Cup, which takes place every two years, and was held in Philadelphia this year. “It’s kind of the Olympics of beer,...
After over three years of planning, fundraising and constructing, the Niwot Children’s Park is finally nearing completion. Members of the building committee estimate that the park will be open by September 1, if not sooner. The park is located on the corner of Murray Street and First Avenue, across from Whistle Stop Park. The concept for the park was first formed by Jeff and Cynthia Lambert, who purchased the property at 101 First Avenue in Niwot before proposing the creation of a new c...
The Colorado Department of Transportation began work earlier this month on SH 119, or Diagonal Highway, in between Longmont and Niwot. Last week they began milling the asphalt on the roughly 10-mile stretch of road that will be resurfaced. According to CDOT Communication Manager Jared Fiel, the work should be completed by October at a cost of $12 million. In addition to resurfacing work, guardrails and bridge rails will be replaced, and minor bridge repairs will be performed and signs replaced...
Ed Trumble has enjoyed a lifelong passion for the American West. This passion found a home, nearly 70 years ago, when Trumble founded Leanin’ Tree, a family-owned greeting card company based in Gunbarrel featuring original western artwork. On May 16, the Greeting Card Association honored Trumble’s long and successful career with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. Trumble’s love for art of the American West began young, during his childhood on a cattle-feeding ranch in Nebraska. Trumb...
One longtime Niwot resident is bringing his newly acquired pedicab service to Niwot just in time for the start of summer. Robbie Vinson has lived in Niwot since he was a little kid and is looking forward to sharing his pedicab business, Subie Do LLC, with the rest of the community. Vinson isn’t the only one involved in the business though. His fiance Amy Frary is actually the one who owns the business, with Vinson managing it. “Amy is currently an inventory manager at Budget Truck Ren...
John Roberts and Bren Frisch, owners of Sunflower Farm, bought the property in South Longmont back in 2000 and have been inviting members of the public out to enjoy the farm for over a decade. “We wanted to create a rural experience for our own family,” Roberts said. “And then over the first couple years, with all [our kids’] friends, people began to notice the farm and we began to notice the importance the farm made to kids and families.” The couple officially opened the farm up to the publi...
The end of the school year comes with many transitions and in the case of Flagstaff Academy, Longmont’s public charter school, the students, staff, parents and alumni will be saying goodbye to two beloved and longstanding teachers, Timothy Baldwin and Lisa Wilkins, who are retiring from teaching. Wilkins, one of the original middle school teachers since Flagstaff Academy added grades six through eight in 2007, has been contributing her extensive background in English and American history into t...
Niwot Dental is closed this week in order to move its office a few blocks away to 6800 N. 79th St. in Cottonwood Square. Doctor Adam Saeks said that the move was for a number of reasons, including timing and space. “It was good timing because I’ve been in this building for 10 years and Niwot Dental has been here for a little over 30 years,” Saeks said. “I felt that it was a good time. “The new office has more space, we did a complete demo and basically started from scratch and built to our specs. It should be very comfortable for our patients....
During the last four years, Principal Brent Caldwell has brought many positive changes to Heatherwood Elementary, including the creation of a new vision and mission statement, a significant upgrade to the technology available at the school, and the introduction of the Design Thinking philosophy. Even though Caldwell will leave Heatherwood at the end of the school year to assume the principal role at Boulder Valley School District’s new PreK-8 school in Erie, he is confident Heatherwood’s sta...
Niwot is known for many events, including the 4th of July and Halloween parades, Enchanted Evening, First Friday Art Walks, and Let’s Wine About Winter. But its most popular and well known event may be its summer concert series Rock & Rails, which runs from June through August. This year, Rock & Rails is planning for another successful year by bringing in people who may not have attended one of the concerts before. Niwot resident Satir DeMarco, the Rock & Rails emcee, schedules all the bands a...
The Lefthand Watershed Oversight Group recently received word that a Community Development Block Grant was approved for 14 projects in the Lefthand Valley area. According to Watershed Coordinator Jessica Olson, they originally received a matching grant for around $9.5 million to do flood recovery work through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s emergency watershed protection program. The match was 12.5 percent, which is where the CDBG funds came into play. Olson said that Boulder County...
Lectures, artifact exhibits and publications are the usual methods used by historical societies to preserve the history and culture of a town. But in Niwot, the Niwot Historical Society has created an unusual publication – coloring pages drawn by area artists that feature Niwot landmarks. The project was sparked last fall by a question to historical society board member Donlyn Arbuthnot from a local realtor. The realtor wanted to know if the historical society had a coloring book that she c...
The end of the school year is always full of emotion as graduating students say farewell and transition to the next phase of their lives. These final days are especially poignant for the three Niwot High School (NHS) teachers who will retire at the end of the school year. Tom Kajiwara: Physical Education In 2000, Tom Kajiwara was a stay-at-home dad when former NHS principal Dennis Daly invited him to join the football coaching staff. During that year a food science position opened up unexpectedl...
Most people live in shacks made of mud with a dirt or concrete floor. Only about 20 percent of the people have electricity, and until recently, people did not have water and were getting their water from the Nairobi dam, which was unclean and often caused typhoid and cholera. This is life in Kibera, Africa’s largest urban slum that is located in Kenya near Nairobi. Last summer, Niwot resident and photographer Lucy Tuck visited the slum with her family while they were on a trip in Africa. A...
